Jason Orzechowski, Author at Wolf Creek Angler

Wolf Creek Angler in The Drake

Home Page of The Drake Online with Wolf Creek topping the list of features.

Our shop showed up in The Drake on-line Fly Shop Friday feature yesterday and while I downplayed it a little when I shared the link on our Facebook page I just want to share what a huge deal this actually is for us.
Like I told The Drake during our interview, it’s not quite the cover of the Rolling Stone – but in my mind it’s damn close. It is the on-line Drake so we aren’t actually in print but that doesn’t make any difference to me. It’s all part of the realization of a dream for me. I remember buying my first copy of The Drake in Traverse City MI somewhere in the early 2000’s. It was very early on in my fly fishing development. Before guiding, before ever having been to Montana, and certainly before ever having thought anything about owning a fly shop. I thought it was the coolest rag EVER and I haven’t missed an issue since so when I got an email from The Drake asking if we would be interested in the feature it was an extremely humbling and emotional experience for me.

To see our shop featured here and to think about how much things have changed in our lives since picking up that copy of The Drake is an amazing thing. We are truly stoked to be here. Here in The Drake and here in Wolf Creek doing what we love.

See you at Wolf Creek Angler! Cheers!

Read the feature here http://www.drakemag.com/featured-content/flyshop-friday/1378-wolf-creek-angler-fly-shop-on-the-missouri-river.html

By Jason Orzechowski|2018-08-01T21:09:07-06:00March 14th, 2015|Categories: Local Buzz, Press|Tags: Montana, The Drake, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|Comments Off

Friday the 13th

Friday the 13th – will this be your lucky day on the MO? photo – Wolf Creek Angler

What’s in store for you on the Missouri River this Friday the 13th? You won’t know until you get here but a couple of things are guaranteed.
The first is that it is going to be a ridiculously nice Mid-March day with sunny skies and highs near 70. The second is that there is no better way (in our humble opinion) to spend your day than floating or wading the Missouri. Whether watching the bank go by from the confines of a boat or watching the river and the boats go by from your favorite wade spot – there is nothing better than a day on the water, especially this water.
I speak for myself but I’m sure many of you would agree that few things in life provide the level of mental therapy of a day on the water with a fly rod in your hand connecting with the environment and the experience and hopefully with a trout or two.
Not that there aren’t frustrating moments and even frustrating days on this river but in the grand scheme of things regardless of your hook-up rate your success rate should always be 100 percent as measured by doing something you love and reaping the rewards of that activity. Whether it is solitude you seek or a time of camaraderie – our sport provides it and while the Missouri River is our go-to, it’s not the particular river that makes the experience but the simple act of our interaction with the water and the surroundings – wherever it may be.
Anglers in general and guides in particular tend to be on the superstitious side. We all have our routines, our lucky articles of clothing, our lucky spots on the river etc. and we make a habit of these things because we believe they contribute to our success. I’ve never been too concerned with Friday the 13th but some are – this is what Wikipedia says about that;

The number 13 is considered an unlucky number in some countries.

[7] The end of the Mayan calendar’s 13th Baktun was superstitiously feared as a harbinger of the apocalyptic 2012 phenomenon.[8] Fear of the number 13 has a specifically recognized phobia, Triskaidekaphobia, a word coined in 1911. The superstitious sufferers of triskaidekaphobia try to avoid bad luck by keeping away from anything numbered or labelled thirteen. As a result, companies and manufacturers use another way of numbering or labeling to avoid the number, with hotels and tall buildings being conspicuous examples (thirteenth floor).[9] It’s also considered unlucky to have thirteen guests at a table. Friday the 13th has been considered the unluckiest day of the month.

So should you avoid the Missouri River on Friday the 13th? Absolutely not. I count my blessings no matter the date and to be here in Wolf Creek Montana where I am able to fish the amazing Missouri River anytime I want, to be able to pursue this dream of co-owning a fly shop and being an outfitter and guide and to be able to do it all with the enthusiastic support of my amazing wife and our family…I don’t know that I could feel much luckier on this day.

See you in the shop and on the water. Lodging and guide trips available for the weekend and in honor of this day buy a dozen flies and get the 13th for free. And don’t forget – $300 spring special guide trips start one week from today!

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:59-06:00March 13th, 2015|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: $300 Missouri River Guide Trips, fly fishing, Friday the 13th, Missouri River, Montana, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|Comments Off

Mid Week Missouri River Fishing Report 3/12/15

Traffic on the river this week has been surprisingly light considering the amazing spring weather we’ve been having but it’s a safe bet the crowds will return this weekend with temperatures predicted to be near 70 on Saturday.
We’ve heard mixed reports over the past few days but the consensus has been that the fishing could definitely be better.
There have been a few going down low to try the streamer game with predictable early March results…hit or miss. Streamer fishing on the Missour is never a numbers game but it can be pretty spotty this time of year and can make for a very long day. That being said, those who know and love this game can typically endure long stretches of time and water with little to no action knowing that the next cast could be the one that entices that behemoth brown of a lifetime.
We’ve been anxious to devote a day to the streamer rod but we will wait until the water warms a tick or two – hopefully soon.
Nymphing? Still the best bet but less than spectacular on those bright and sunny days. Our last outing was definitely a case of quality over quantity with a couple of well-above average rainbows and a handful of cookie cutter fish. We caught fish on firebead soft hackle sows, Pinkalicious and black zebra midges and tried a little bit of everything before returning to the winter staples having concluded that despite the air temps feeling like June the water temps are still very March-Like hovering in the mid 30’s and the fish are behaving accordingly.
Lots of midges on the water – didn’t see much for rising fish but didn’t look that hard for them. I’m sure they were there.
What’s in store for the weekend? Some beautiful weather for sure with abundant sunshine which may not make for the best fishing but will definitely bring the crowds out to enjoy our early spring on the Missouri. Daytime temps in the 60’s and nightime temps only dropping into the high 30’s and low 40’s should keep that water temp inching upward.
Plenty of lodging available and lots of new stuff arriving at the shop daily. Why not make the Missouri River and Wolf Creek Angler your fly fishing destination this weekend.

Best of the Day – photo by Wolf Creek Angler

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:59-06:00March 12th, 2015|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: fly fishing, Missouri River, running line, Streamer Fishing, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler, zebra midges|Comments Off

OPEN

The season is officially here! Starting today Wolf Creek Angler will be open every day through the end of the season. Hours for the time being are 8:00 am – 5:00 pm but we will adjust accordingly as required. Reinforcements are on the way and we are looking forward to a busy early season with some major changes in the shop and some lodging upgrades which may not jump out at you but which are all part of our comittment to making your stay with us a great one both on and off of the water.
Cabins will be available again beginning this weekend, doubling our winter lodging capacity and the best part is the winter rates are in effect through the end of April. $99 gets you a cabin or bungalow with full kithchen and full bath which sleeps three comfortably and can accommodate up to four. $69 gets you the highly coveted Cabin #3. One single bed, one double bed, private bath, microwave, small fridge and coffee pot. At this price Cabin #3 is a popular option so book it now if you want it. Of course all of these great off-season rates coincide with our $300 Spring Special Guide Trips which commence a week from Friday on March 20th and run through the end of April. We’ve already gotten a great response to this offer and late April is filling quickly. Don’t miss this awesome opportunity for a full day of guided fishing on the world-famous Missouri River with one of our expert guides at a fraction of the cost of a regular season trip.

It’s going to be a great season at Wolf Creek Angler, your Outfitter Owned and Operated full service Missouri River fly shop, guide service and lodging facility located closer to Holter Dam and Wolf Creek Bridge than ANYONE.

Come find out for yourself what the WCA buzz is all about!

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:59-06:00March 11th, 2015|Categories: Uncategorized|Comments Off

Hank Does Helena

Hank Patterson’s Reel Montana Adventure is coming to Helena on Friday, March 20th at the Grandstreet Theatre. $12 Advance film Tickets available now at Wolf Creek Angler, CrossCurrents and Montana Fly Goods.

Join Hank Patterson (in person!) for a screening of his uniquely hilarious film documenting his eleven-day fly-fishing adventure across Montana. Pre-party with no-host bar will begin at 7pm with super awesome fantastic awesome giveaways!

Join us at 5pm for a pre-party social at CrossCurrrents Fly Shop. Raffle Tickets available for sale to win Breakfast with Hank and a Rod/Reel Combo.

A portion of the proceeds benefit Pat Barnes Missouri River Trout Unlimited.

8:00pm Show (Doors at 7:00)

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:59-06:00March 10th, 2015|Categories: Uncategorized|Comments Off

Spring Fishing this week on the Missouri

Spring is on the way – photo by Wolf Creek Angler

Looking at the 10-Day forecast it looks like daytime highs in the 60s all this week and right on through next weekend. Is winter over? It’s hard to say. Do we have enough snowpack? Time and weather conditions over the next couple of months will tell.
What we do know is that the sun is shining, the water is warming and there is no place we’d rather be than floating the Missouri on days like this.
The fish have been up on midges, mostly in the early afternoon, in most of the spots you would expect and we’re hearing some solid streamer reports from down stream way. Nymphing is producing the numbers and should continue to improve as we move towards spring. Firebead soft hackle sows in pink,pink Lightning Bugs, Pinkalicious (notice a trend here?) and black zebra midges have all been effective.

A couple of ticks up on that water temp and the streamer fishing could blow up so there is definitely something for everyone right now.
Lodging available this week though the weekend is starting to fill. Things get serious next week with lodging coinciding with the start of our $300 Spring Special Guide Trips on March 20th. We will be opening up more lodging this week to accommodate.
Take advantage of the nice weather and the off-season lodging rates and come out and enjoy the river before the crowds arrive. We love this time of year due in large part to the relative solitude, especially during the week. Crowds are not an issue and the fishing just keeps getting better from here on out.
Book your cheap guide trips and rooms now. Both the spring special and the winter lodging rates run through the end of April.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:59-06:00March 9th, 2015|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: $300 Missouri River Guide Trips, fly fishing, midge, Missouri River, Missouri River Spring Special Guide Rates, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|Comments Off

Weekend Report 3/8/15

Missouri River Necessities always available at Wolf Creek Angler

As you would expect it’s a busy weekend on the Missouri, at least by early March standards. Our lodging is full and we had all of our rental boats on the water yesterday. A lot of guys in from Bozeman and Missoula and Kalispell gearing up on their way through. We sold more flies yesterday than we have in a while with winter nymphs still leading the charge. The cloudy conditions had a lot of people thinking streamers as well and we moved a fair amount of Polar Leeches, Kreelex and Sparkle Minnows. That’s an itch I’ve been needing to scratch lately and it looks like I’ll be able to get a fix on Tuesday – full report to come.
The reports I heard from the last few days were a bit of a mixed bag but it sounds like continued success on Pink and firebead stuff and some strong midge action depending on the day. What I’ve heard on the streamer side is that it’s been a little slow but we wouldn’t really expect much with the water being as cold as it is. We should start to see that water warm up a bit with the change in the weather and sometimes it doesn’t take much to flip the switch on the streamer bite so keep at it! I’m psycyhed to get out and give it a try.
The weather looks incredible for the coming week – into the 60’s every day. We are anticipating a busy week at the shop and I expect the lodging will fill quickly for next weekend so don’t wait too long to make your plans…we had to turn away severl people this weekend. We will look to open more lodging this week so hopefully we will have a few more units available by the weekend.
The shop is open daily for all of your Missouri River Fly Fishing needs. Shuttles, bugs, boats, bobbers, lodging, licenses, WCA logo gear and much, much more. Make Wolf Creek Angler your one stop on your way to the MO.

Crazy Spring Weather on the way

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:59-06:00March 8th, 2015|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: $300 Missouri River Guide Trips, fly fishing, Missouri River, Missouri River Spring Special Guide Rates, nymphs, RIO, running line, Streamer Fishing, streamers, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|Comments Off

Daylight Savings Time Begins this Weekend

This is the night we move our clocks forward one hour ushering in Daylight Savings Time. We know we lose an hour of sleep but from the sounds of it, we also run the risk of losing our circadian rhythm. Wow! Seems like a huge price to pay for an extra hour of daylight but be that as it may it means an immediate extra hour on the water and it means we’re moving ever closer to warm spring and summer days and nights, bunches of insect hatches and everything that makes spring and summer such a magical time on the Missouri River. So don’t fret about losing that hour of sleep, instead rejoice in the arrival of spring. You’ll get your circadian rhythm back in short order and you’ll get that hour of sleep back in the fall…now it’s time to fish!

From ABC News;

It’s time to spring forward, but the sweet act of moving the clocks an hour ahead can deliver a blow to your sleeping schedule.

For most, daylight saving time is an exciting sign of spring that comes with a slightly sleepy Monday. But if you’re not a morning person to begin with, your mood and productivity can take a dive. Daylight saving time has been blamed for car accidents, workplace injuries and stock market dips in the past.

That’s because people are experiencing more than just jet lag this time of year. They’re dealing with a new light-dark cycle.

“It’s an interesting paradox, because traveling one time zone east or west is very easy for anyone to adapt to,” said Dr. Alfred Lewy, director of Oregon Health and Science University’s Sleep and Mood Disorders Laboratory in Portland, Oregon. “But in daylight saving time, the new light-dark cycle is perversely working against the body clock. We’re getting less sunlight in morning and more in the evening.”

The body clock is a cluster of neurons deep inside the brain that generates the circadian rhythm, also known as the sleep-wake cycle. The cycle spans roughly 24 hours, but it’s not precise.

“It needs a signal every day to reset it,” said Lewy.

The signal is sunlight, which shines in through the eyes and “corrects the cycle from approximately 24 hours to precisely 24 hours,” said Lewy. But when the sleep-wake and light-dark cycles don’t line up, people can feel out-of-sync, tired and downright grumpy.

With time, the body clock adjusts on its own.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:59-06:00March 7th, 2015|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: Daylight Savings Time|Comments Off

WCA Spring Special Starts March 20th

WCA Client Lynn Perkins at it again with guide Eric Mondragon

March 20th marks the Vernal Equinox, the day when the sun crosses directly over the Earths’ equator ( at precisely 6:45 pm EDT) resulting in day and night being about equal in length all over the world. This happens just twice a year, the other date being September 22nd or 23rd which in our hemisphere is the autumnal equinox. These moments owe their significance to the 23.4 degree tilt of the Earth’s axis. If the Earth rotated on an axis perpendicular to the plane of the Earth’s orbit around the sun there would be no variation in day lengths or temperatures throughout the year, and we would have no seasons.
In other words, March 20th is the first day of spring and more importantly it’s the first day of Wolf Creek Angler’s 2015 $300 Spring Guide Special which runs through the end of April. $300 gets you a full day guided trip on the Missouri for two with one of our expert guides and includes lunch, refreshments, all the flies you need, any equipment you may need and transportation to and from the river. It’s too good of a deal to pass up at a fraction of the price of our regular season rates.
Sound too good to be true? Wait – it get’s better! Winter lodging rates at Wolf Creek Angler also run through the end of April so you can get a guide trip for $300 and a cabin or bungalow for just $99/night + tax. Each room is equipped with a full kitchen and bath and sleeps three comfortably and can accommodate up to four.
Call to book your trip and lodging today. (406)235-4350 or Toll Free 1-800-800-4350. Don’t miss this opportunity!

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:59-06:00March 6th, 2015|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: $300 Missouri River Guide Trips, Missouri River, Missouri River Spring Special Guide Rates, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|Comments Off

Missouri River Fishing Report 3/4/15

The Icy Solitude will soon be gone as spring weather arrives – photo Wolf Creek Angler

Fishing traffic has been essentially non existent for the past week but all that’s about to change with spring-like weather in the forecast for the weekend. Not that the fishing hasn’t been good – I’ve seen plenty of fish up each day I’ve gone out to scout the river but there is no amount of Stanley’s Ice Off Paste that can overcome the almost immedieate freeze-up that happens with temperatures in the teens and low 20’s where they’ve been camped for the last little while. Not to mention the ever-present flirtation with frostbite that occurs when fishing in these conditions. A sunny day with little wind certainly makes things tolerable (for a while) but we are anxious to leave the handwarmers and balaclavas behind and get back to some serious fishing rather than the two cast-pop ice out of guides-warm hands repeat routine we’ve been doing.
Looks like partly sunny skies with a high of 50 tomorrow, cloudy and 52 on Saturday and sunny and 55 on Sunday. It looks like we may see 60 on Monday and Tuesday! We’ve still got one vacancy for Friday and Saturday night and a couple for tonight. We will be full this weekend so don’t hesitate, make the call right now and claim your spot at Wolf Creek Angler. We will definitely be opening more lodging soon weather permitting.
The fishing should be good out there as the water warms back up a tick or two. It dropped back below 34 yesterday with the subzero nighttime temps. Flows remain steady at right around 4900. My go-to nymphing rig remains the Pinkalicious trailed by either a soft hackle FB sow, a pink or purple lighting bug, a black zebra midge, a tailwater sowbug, a Rainbow Keller’s Payczech or any number of similar options. Other good options for a point fly if the Pinkalicious for some reason isn’t working would be a Tungsten Tailwater Sow, A Rainbow or Purple Weight Fly or a Hotbead Wire Worm. I simply don’t change my bugs much this time of year, especially if it’s below freezing. Any and all of the above usually work if you find the right depth though I have seen a few patterns really heat up and really shut down depending on the day.
My recommendation would be to have your dry fly rod rigged up and ready with a buzzball or griffiths gnat or midge cluster etc. and be on the lookout for rising fish. It’s also never a bad idea in my opinion to throw a streamer and while you may not want to commit your entire day to it just yet, you never know when the streamer bite is going to turn on.
We’re anticipating a busy weekend at the shop. Call ahead for lodging and guide trips. Stop in for shuttles, drift boat rentals, hats and gloves, leaders and tippet, hot coffee, great buys on clearance items and of course, the largest selection of Missouri River flies ever assembled under one roof in Wolf Creek Montana.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:59-06:00March 5th, 2015|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: dry fly fishing, fly fishing, Missouri River, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|Comments Off

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About Jason Orzechowski